Human leucocyte interferon-alpha in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C

Aim. To assess the efficacy of different schedules of human leucocyte inter feron a in chronic hepatitis C. Patients and Methods. A total of 213 naive patients with chronic hepatitis C were treated with 4 different schedules of human leucocyte interferon alp ha. Sustained response was defined as persistently normal alanine amino tra nsferase values with negative serum hepatitis C virus-RNA up to 12 months a fter therapy withdrawal. Results. Rates of sustained response were 16% with 3 MU tiw for 6 months, 3 3% with 6 MU tiw for 5 months after a priming dose of 9 MU tiw for a month, 32% with 3 MU tiw for 12 months and 20% with 3 MU daily for 6 months. The major factors affecting the response rate were age and the hepatitis C Viru s genotype, as a sustained response was significantly higher in patients un der 45 years and infected by hepatitis 6 virus types other than hepatitis C virus-1. Treatment was well tolerated and side-effects and drop-out events were similar to those described with other types of alpha -interferons. Conclusions. Human leucocyte interferon ct appears to be equivalent to reco mbinant interferon-alpha in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C.